Rice can either help or worsen constipation depending on the type you eat. White rice is low in fiber and tends to have a binding effect that slows things down, while brown rice provides roughly five times more fiber per serving and can help get your bowels moving. The distinction matters more than most people realize, because rice is often lumped together as one food when the two types behave very differently in your digestive system.
White Rice Can Make Constipation Worse
White rice is processed to remove the bran and germ, which strips away most of its fiber. A one-third cup serving of cooked white rice contains just 0.2 grams of fiber. That’s almost nothing, especially when adults need between 22 and 34 grams of fiber per day depending on age and sex.
This is exactly why white rice shows up in the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast), a set of bland, low-fiber foods traditionally recommended for diarrhea and stomach bugs. Those foods are chosen specifically because they slow down digestion and firm up stool. If you’re already constipated, that’s the opposite of what you need. The Cleveland Clinic notes that the BRAT diet lacks vital nutrients, including fiber, and shouldn’t be followed for more than a day or two even when you’re sick.
If white rice makes up a large portion of your meals and you’re not getting much fiber from other sources, it could be contributing to your constipation. It won’t necessarily cause it on its own, but replacing higher-fiber grains with white rice shifts the balance in the wrong direction.
Brown Rice Is a Better Choice
Brown rice keeps its bran layer intact, and that makes a significant difference. The same one-third cup serving of cooked brown rice delivers 1.1 grams of fiber, over five times what white rice provides. Scale that up to a full cup and you’re getting a meaningful contribution toward your daily fiber goal.
The bran in brown rice contains insoluble fiber, the type that adds bulk to your stool and helps it move through your intestines faster. Research on brown rice digestion shows it increases the mass of material moving through the large bowel, which is one of the key mechanisms for relieving constipation. A heavier, bulkier stool stimulates the muscles of your colon to push things along more efficiently.
Brown rice also promotes fermentation in the large intestine, producing short-chain fatty acids that feed beneficial gut bacteria. A healthier gut microbiome supports more regular digestion over time, so the benefits go beyond just the fiber content of a single meal.
The Resistant Starch Factor
Here’s something most people don’t know: when you cook rice and then cool it in the refrigerator, some of its starch changes structure and becomes what’s called resistant starch. This modified starch resists normal digestion in the small intestine and instead passes into the large intestine, where it behaves like fiber.
Once resistant starch reaches your colon, it ferments and feeds beneficial gut bacteria, similar to what happens with the fiber in brown rice. Over time, this supports better gut health and more regular bowel movements. So leftover rice eaten cold or reheated the next day may actually be more helpful for constipation than freshly cooked rice. This applies to both white and brown rice, though brown rice still comes out ahead because it starts with more fiber to begin with.
One caveat: resistant starch can cause bloating and gas, especially if you suddenly eat a lot of it. Gradually increasing the amount works better than a sudden dietary shift.
How to Use Rice if You’re Constipated
If constipation is your concern, swap white rice for brown rice when possible. That single change won’t solve the problem on its own, but it contributes meaningful fiber, especially if rice is a staple in your diet. Other whole grain options like quinoa, barley, and oats also deliver more fiber per serving and can be rotated in for variety.
Increasing fiber intake only works if you also increase your water intake. Fiber binds with water to bulk up your stool, and without enough fluid, adding more fiber can actually make constipation worse. Aim for at least 48 ounces of water per day when you’re actively trying to increase fiber in your diet.
It also helps to increase fiber gradually rather than all at once. Going from a low-fiber diet to large servings of brown rice, beans, and vegetables in a single day often leads to bloating and discomfort before your gut adjusts. Adding one new high-fiber food every few days gives your digestive system time to adapt.
Putting the Fiber Numbers in Perspective
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend 28 to 34 grams of fiber daily for adults under 50, and 22 to 28 grams for those over 50. Most Americans fall well short of these targets. A full cup of cooked brown rice gives you roughly 3.3 grams of fiber, which is a solid contribution but still only about 10 to 15 percent of the daily goal. You’ll need fruits, vegetables, legumes, and other whole grains to fill in the rest.
White rice, by contrast, provides so little fiber that even large portions barely register. If rice is a major part of your meals and you’re relying on it as a grain source, the difference between white and brown adds up quickly over days and weeks. For someone eating rice twice a day, switching to brown rice could mean an extra 5 or 6 grams of fiber daily, which is enough to noticeably change how your digestion feels.